Revolution counter



April 28, 1936. w MARSH I 2,038,946-

REVOLUTION COUNTER I Filed May 51, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet '1 W. D. MARSH REVOLUTION COUNTER April 28, 1936.

Filed May 31, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ul 4 44,1 m

Patented Apr. 2 1936 PATENT OFFICE REVOLUTION COUNTER Walter D. Marsh, East Hartford, Conn; assignor to Veeder-Root Incorporated, a corporation of of Connecticut Application May 31, 1930,-Serial No. 458,369

13 Claims.

...) olutions of an oil or gas motor and which, while more particularly usable with the motor of an automobile, airplane, or the like, is also adapted to use with stationary type engines or motors.

A further object of my invention is to provide an H) improved countermechanism for such motors having an improved driving connection with the engine crank shaft through the timer shaft and also arranged relative to, operatively connected with anddriven by the latter in an improved l manner. Still further objects of my invention are to provide an improved revolution counter I mechanism adapted to be conveniently applied as a unit to the timer shaft or mechanism of an automobile or other engine, and one adapted to co-operate therewith without requiring any changes in a standard engine or interference, with the operation of the timer and distributor mechanisms thereof, and which is also readily and cheaply manufactured and may be used in conand other objects and advantages of my improved construction will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustration three embodiments which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings-- Figure 1 is an end elevation, partially in section, of an engine of the automobile type equipped with one form of my improvement;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the whole timer and distributor mechanism when removed bodily from the engine and with my improved revolution counter embodied therein;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view, partially in sec-= tion to facilitate illustration, of my improved revolution counter removed from the timer shaft but still-in position below the cap;

Figure 4 is a plan View of the counter unit, a

nection with a wide range of engines. These portion of the register casing being broken away;

Figure 8 is a sectional view on 1ine 8-8 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a section on line 9--9 of Figure 'I; and

Figure is a section of a modified construction using a wiper contact.

Considering first the construction shown in Figures 1 to 5, it will be noted that I have shown an automobile engine generally designated at I and of a usual six cylinder construction having a timer 2 carried on a substantially vertical shaft 3 and driven in a usual manner from the engine crank shaft 4, herein through suitable reduction gearing 5 driven by the shaft 4 and in turn driving the valve lifting shaft 6, and spiral reduction gearing l driven by the shaft 6 and driving the shaft 3, so that the several cylinders of the motor are supplied with a spark in the proper sequence through conductors d connected to the distributor cap 9 in a usual manner.

In this form of my improvement, it will be understood that the drive and electrical connections of the timer shaft 3 and timer head 2, respectively, are in no wise disturbed. In installing the counter, I first remove the cap 9 and take oif the usual removable and rotary distributor contact member it from the upper end it of the timer shaft 3, with which this member I 0 ordinarily rotates. Then, I place upon the, shaft end It and the flanged upper end of the casing of the timer 2, my improved counter unit, generally indicated at H, place the rotating member it upon the upper end 63 of a vertical shaft i l of this unit, and fit the cap 9 upon the flanged upper end Id of the unit, whereupon, as the timer shaft 3 thereafter rotates, the revolutions of the crank shaft are automatically counted on a register mechanism l6 embodied in the unit 12.

' Referring more particularly to this unit it, it will be noted that the shaft l4 thereof is hollow and journaled axially therein in a suitable bearing ll located slightly nearer the top of the unit and projecting from the inner wall thereof. It will also be noted that the lower end I8 of this shaft is adapted to fit over the protruding upper end I l of the timer shaft 3 and is attached thereto, as for'example, by a pin and aperture connection I9. It will also be observed that the casing of the unit I2 is provided with a flange 20 on its bottom adapted to fit over the top 2| of the timer casing, and that within this flange a lug 22 is provided adapted to seat in a corresponding slot 23 in the top 2|. It will also be observed that lugs 24 are provided on the outside of the casing .of the unit I2 near its'base, adapted to receive the springs 25 which usually hold the distributor cap 9 on the timer ,2. Attention is also directed to the lugs 26 and springs 21 carried on the unit [2 radially spaced from the lugs 24 thereon, and to the lugs 28 carried on the cap 9 and adapted to have the springs snapped over the same to hold the cap in position. It will also be noted that the upper end of the shaft I4 is provided with a slot 29 adapted to receive a usual lug 30 formed on the rotating member ID and ordinarily engaging a corresponding slot 3| in the upper end of the shaft ll. Thus, it will be noted that the rotation of the shaft 3 is transmitted to the shaft l4 and that it may be transmitted to the register '6 through mechanism hereinafter described, while the unit I2 is held against relative rotation with respect to the distributor 2 by the lug 22 and slot 23, and against longitudinal separation therefrom by the lugs 24 and springs 25, while the cap 9 and rotating member H] are connected by the springs 21 and lugs 28 and by the slot and lug connection 30, 3| to the unit l2 and shaft 14 respectively.

Considering the revolution counter mechanism more particularly, it will be noted that the shaft H has intermediate its ends a worm 33, herein disposed beneath the bearing member IT. This worm in turn meshes with a worm gear 34 carried on a transverse shaft 35 and co-operating with the worm gear to provide the desired reduction while driving the register mechanism. Herein, one end of the shaft 35 is disposed in a suitable bearing 36 in a web member 31, preferably integrally united to the journal IT. It will also be noted that the worm gear 34 is held in position by a suitable pinned member 38 on the shaft 35 and that the latter extends into a laterally projecting housing 39 in which the register mechanism I8 is housed. It will also be noted that the latter is in the form of a unit having its dial co-axial with the shaft, and that it is insertable or removable as a unit in the housing 33 with the shaft 35 and worm gear 34. Inasmuch as this register mechanism per se is of a well known construction, it seems unnecessary herein to describe the same more particularly than to say that itis adapted to count and register the revolutions of the crank shaft with its lowest unit herein representing ten thousand revolutions of the crank shaft.

- 'In this construction it will be understood that the timing and distributing mechanism may be of any usual construction, and that my mechanism in no way requires this mechanism to be disturbed. Considering the former mechanism more particularly, it will be noted that herein the same includes a nut 40 rotatable with the shaft II and an abutment 4| engageable-successively with the six sides of said nut, usual in a six cylinder engine, as the shaft II is rotated. As usual, this engagement acts to swing a spring connected pivoted member 42 about its pivot 43 and make and break contact between contacts 44 and 45 which, with the rest of the mechanism, are disposed as usual within the distributor casing 2|.

It will also be noted that the distributor member Ill, usually carried on the end of this shaft H within the cap 9, functions in its usual manner when disposed on the upper end l3 of the shaft ll of the counter unit. More particularly, the same then, as when directly locatedon the shaft ll, rotates with the latter and rotates its side contact 45 and central contact 41 so that they may co-operate in a usual manner with usual cooperating contacts (not shown), formed on the place over their respective lugs.

. upper surface of the cap 9 and connected to the usual leads common in the art and supplying current to the contact 41 and through the same and the contacts 46 to the several conductors leading from the cap 9 to the several cylinders. Since all of this mechanism connected to the shaft II and disposed in the casing 2 and the cap 9 is usual mechanism, and my mechanism herein permits the usual operation-thereof, it is believed that the same need not be more specifically described herein.

When it is desired to install my improved mechanism upon an automobile engine, it will be evident that it may be very readily and conveniently installed simply by removing the distributor cap 9 and distributor rotating member ID, and inserting the unit [2 on the distributor driving shaft H and casing 2|, replacing the rotating member In of the distributor upon the top l3 of the shaft H of the unit, and

replacing the cap 9 on the top of the unit 12, with the several springs 25, 21' snapped into Further, with the unit so installed, it will be evident that whenever the motor is operated, the revolutions of the same will be registered irrespective of whether or not the vehicle is-in motion. It will also be evident that the number of engine revolutions may be determined either in terms of units, each representing ten thousand revolutions, or in the 1 actual revolutions by adding four vzeros to the number of units shown. Attention is also directed to the fact that the pin connection l9 between the unit shaft l4 and the distributor driving shaft ll enables the unit I2 to be readily connected to the latter shaft while removal for timer repairs is possible, and the contacts 46 and 41 and their co-operating contacts on the cap 9 are always readily accessible upon simply releasing the springs 21. It will, also be observed that the construction is such that it may be cheaply manufactured and utilize a standard register mechanism. These and other advantages of my improved construction will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

In Figures 6, '7, 8, 9 and 10, I have illustrated modified constructions wherein, while still driven by the shaft ll rotating with the timer, the

mechanism replaces the usual cap and rotating member. More particularly, it will be noted that in this construction a rotating member 50, adapted to fit on the end of the shaft H, as previously described, is provided with an upstanding portion 5| adapted to be received in a corresponding aperture 52 in the lower end of a short shaft 53, which herein forms the register driving shaft. This shaft 53 extends through a suitable aperture 54 in a casing comprising a cap member 55 and a base'member 56, preferably formed of insulating material, as for example Bakelite, and suitably fastened together around a flange 51 on the base member. It will also be noted that a suitable chamber 58 is provided in the cap member 55 and that this shaft 53 is journaled in bearings 59 above and below this chamber, and carries therein a sleeve 60, fixed to the shaft as by a suitable pin BI, and also carrying a worm 62. This worm in turn meshes with a worm gear 63 carried on a transverse shaft 64 and operatively connected to a counter unit 65 disposed in a housing 66, all in the general manner previously described. Attention is here also directed to the fact that in this construction the base member 58 carries the electrical distributor connections, rather than the top of the cap as in the usual construction.

I More particularly, it will be noted that this mem- In Figure I have also shown a modified con struction of contacts utilizing slide contacts in the member 56. In this construction, it will be noted that a spring pressed contact member H seated in and rotatable with the member 50, bridges a central contact 12 similar to the contact 59, and successive co-operating contacts 13 which are in turn connected through connections 14 to the conductors in a manner similar to the contactsil. It will of course be understood that in this type of construction, as in the preceding construction, the springs 15 pivoted on the timer casing 16, and engaging lugs ll on the distributor base member 58, may be used to hold the parts together.

When it is desired to install such a unit, it is only necessary to remove the cap and rotating member of the timing mechanism and place the new cap and rotating member in position on the timer casing and timer shaft, and suitably con-' nect the holding springs. In operation, it will also be evident that the counter mechanism being driven by the timer shaft will operate as previously described, to count the rotations of the latter, and thereby indicate the number of revo lutions of the engine. As for the operation of the contact mechanism in the cap, it will also be clear that, as the new contact carrying member I is rotated by the timer shaft, current will be supplied successively through the several conductors and from the central contact to the several cylinders, the current bridging the gaps between the contacts in the construction shown in Figure 9, or these contactsbeing directly connected by a bridging member in the construction shown in Figure 10.

In the various forms ofmy improvement, it will be noted that it is possible to obtain marked advantages through combining the counter in my improved manner with the timer shaft and the operative connections therefor usually present on a motor. Thus, for example, I am able not only to minimize the necessary connections for a counter by utilizing the gear connections already upon the motor, but to insure that the counter is so connected with the motor as accurately to count the revolutions of the same, while also enabling the required counter parts to be very inexpensively produced. Further, it is made possible for the ordinarily inaccessible timer shaft, which is usually enclosed at its lower end and covered by the distributor cap at its top, to be very readily and conveniently used as the operating means for the counter, while continuing to perform its timer and distributor driving functions. My improved construction with its new coaxial arrangement further enables the counter unit and its associated parts to be very readily inserted and operatively connected as desired on this ordinarily inaccessible shaft. In addition to the facility with which, as a result of my invention, a counter may be connected, attention is further directed to the fact that the timer and distributor mechanism remains readily accessible for repairs, while the counter mechanism is also so located as to be readily readable and so disposed as to form a part of the drive or cap of the distributor mechanism. It will further be noted that the resulting construction is exceedingly compact, and that the counter mechanism is so associated with the timer anddistributor mechanism as to make it possible to preclude or minimize efforts to tamper with the record by removing the counter. These and other advantages of my invention will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While I have in this application specifically described several embodiments which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a revolution counter device, a revolution counting unit comprising a casing, a driving shaft therein, and a revolution totalizing register carried by said casing and operatively connected therein to said shaft, means on said casing for operatively attaching the same above an adjacent casing having a rotating timer driven element therein, and means on one end of said shaft for operatively connecting said shaft to said timer driven element. I

2. In a revolution counter device for connection to a timer shaft and above a timer head thereon having rotating means therein driven by said shaft, cooperating distributor and counting mechanisms carried by said timer head above the latter having coaxial driving elements one driving the other and one driven by the rotating means of said timer head, said counting mechanism including a counter for totalizing timer shaft revolutions and driven by one of said driving elements.

3. In a revolution counter device, a timer shaft, a timer head including a casing having therein a rotatable driving element driven by said timer shaft, and cooperating distributor and counting mechanisms carried by said casing above the latter having coaxial rotatable driving elements one driving the other and one driven by the driving element in said timer head, said counting mechanism including a counter for totalizing timer shaft revolutions and driven by one of said driving elements.

4. In combination, a timer shaft having on its outer end timer and distributor mechanism including a non-rotatable distributor cap overlying said outer end, and registering counter mechanism driven by said shaft and carried on said non-rotatable distributor cap totalizing the engine revolutions.

5. In combination, .coaxially disposed timer mechanism, distributor mechanism and revolution counter mechanism, said distributor mechanism being disposed between said timer mechanism and said revolution counter mechanism, and both said distribtuor mechanism and revolution counter mechanism being driven by the driving element of said timer mechanism.

6. In combination, coaxially disposed timer mechanism, distributor mechanism and revolution counter mechanism, said distributor mechanism being disposed between said timer mechanism and said revolution counter mechanism and both said distributor mechanism and revolution counter mechanism being driven by the driving element of said timer mechanism, and cooperating means forming a casing for said mechanisms comprising a casing for said timer mechanism and a cap carrying said revolution counter mechanism and a portion of .said distributor mechanism and supported on said timer casing.

'7. In combination, a timer shaft, a timer head thereon having rotating means therein driven by said shaft, a counter unit seated on said head and driven by said shaft and totalizing timer shaft revolutions, a' rotating distributor contact member rotatable'by said counter unit and carried thereon, a co-operating distributor cap cooperating with said contact and carried by said counter unit, means for attaching said counter unit to said head, and means for attaching said cap to said counter unit.

8. In combination, a timer shaft, a timer head thereon having rotating means therein driven by said shaft, a counter unit seated on said head and driven-by said shaft and totalizing timer shaft revolutions, a rotating distributor contact member rotatable by said counter unit and carried thereon, and a co-operating distributor cap co-operating with said contact and carried by said counter unit, said counter unit having a shaft connectible on said rotating means in said head and carrying said rotating contact member on its opposite end.

9. In combination, a timer shaft, a timer head thereon having rotating means therein driven by said shaft, a counter driving unit seated on said head and driven by said shaft, a rotating distributor contact member rotatable by an element of said driving unit and carried thereon, a co-operating distributor cap co-operating with said contact and carried by said counter driving unit, said counter driving unit comprising a shaft carried thereby and driven by said rotating means and driving said rotating contact, and gearing mechanism driven by said counter shaft, and a revolution totalizing register driven by said mech anism.

10. In combination, a timer shaft, a timer head thereon having rotating means therein driven by said shaft, a counter driving unit seated on said head and driven by said shaft, a rotating distributor contact member rotatable by an element of said counter driving unit and carried thereon, a co-operating distributor cap co-operating with said contact and carried by said counter driving unit, said counter driving unit having a shaft carried thereby and driven by said rotating means and driving said rotating contact, and worm and worm gear mechanism driven by the shaft of said counter driving unit, and a register driven by said mechanism and located on an axis disposed transversely of said last mentioned shaft.

11. In combination, a timer head having a driving shaft, a removable distributor contact memberdriven thereby, and a. co-operating removable distributor cap, a counter driving unit operatively connectible to said head upon removal of said rotatable contact member and cap and having a casing adapted to seat on said head and receive said cap and alsohaving a shaft connectible to said driving shaft and adapted to receive said rotatable contact, and a register driven by the shaft of said counter driving unit for totalizing timer shaft revolutions.

12. In combination, a revolution counter unit comprising a casing, a driving shaft therein, a revolution totalizing register carried by said casing and operatively connected therein to said shaft, means on said casing for fitting the same between a timer head and a distributor cap, and means on said shaft for driving the same from a timer shaft and for driving a rotatable distributor contact co-operating with said "cap.

13. In combination, a revolution counter unit comprising a casing, a driving shaft therein, a revolution totalizing register carried by said casing and operatively connected therein to said shaft, means on said casing for fitting the same between a timer head and a distributor cap, means on said casing for connecting the same to said head and cap, and means on said shaft for driving the same from a timer shaft and for driving a rotatable distributor contact cooperating with said cap.

' WALTER D. MARSH.

Patent N0. 2,038,946. April 28, 1956.

v WALTER D. MARSH.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiringcorrection as follows: Page 4, second column, line 12, claim 10, before "register" insert the words revolution totalizing; and thet the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of May, A. D. 1936.

e Lesiie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Patent No. 2,058,946. April 28, 1956.

d WALTER D. MARSH.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered 'patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, second column, line 12, claim 10, before "register" insert the words revolution totalizing; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of May, A. D. 1936.

v Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

